Amaranthine
by Chaseforever
Summary: RaixKim again. After four years of training, the monks are up to full level. Now they have to leave the temple and go back home to set off on their lives, missing each other desperately...
1. The Departure

This is my fifth fanfiction and I really, really worked hard to make this chapter descriptive and interesting. With plenty of dialogue, don't worry.

Please enjoy chapter one of Amaranthine, 'The Beginning of the End'.

In this story they are all 17 by the end of the training.

--

Introduction 

The four young monks were finished with the temple, and set off for their own lives. They still had the power of Xiaolin Dragons, but they had done all they possibly could and had officially become Grand Masters. They all feared saying good-bye to one another on the last day of training. In the 4 or so years they had been together, they had grown to become the best of friends and depended on each other. Jack Spicer was defeated along with Wuya, and Chase no longer had his immortality or his powers because they had worked together to defeat him. The world was safe for the time being. There were no longer any great threats, unless a small evil lurking past arose to greater power and tried to reign as Chase and Wuya had done before them. But this was not likely, and there would always be four monks, four Chosen Ones, to stop them. This was enough.

For the day, they had some time to practice training but also had plenty of fun afterwards. They no longer needed to go through tedious training and were to depart the next morning. Raimundo was going home to Brazil, Clay would roam to the land of the cowboys once again, Kimiko headed to her father's company in Tokyo, Japan and Omi stayed at the temple in the care of Master Fung, who although was not his real father was his guardian.

And so, the last day's sun rose upon them.

--

Raimundo awoke from his sleep, rubbing his eyes. For a moment he simply looked around at the Xiaolin temple, and then, with consciousness, realized that this was the last day at the Xiaolin temple for them. Him and Kimiko and Omi and Clay. They were going to leave and go back to their real homes… well, except for Omi. Omi had already spent his whole life in here.

He didn't want to leave the temple at all. It would mean leaving his friends and everything that was familiar to him. Before, he had never even thought of appreciating the beautiful scent of the flowers on the trees or the great view on the mountain, but here, on his last day, it sank in. Raimundo tried hard to hide his sadness, but his face was faltering. He really, really would miss the trees of China and the mountains and valleys and grass. But most of all, more than any amazing scene, he would miss his great friends, no matter how bad their accents or comebacks were.

"Raimundo! It is time for our daily training," Master Fung called to him in his usual voice, although to Raimundo his voice sounded cracked and a little broken. At least Raimundo wasn't the only one who would be sad about this day. Master Fung, too, seemed upset that they had to leave. Suddenly, Raimundo felt a little comforted and turned to the temple.

And he walked into the front lawn of the temple, looking at the eager faces of his comrades. He ran up, waved, and joined them. This morning, it seemed like their friendship was over, yet somehow it mysteriously seemed to have just begun.

--

At twilight, the monks' tedious training was over. It had been the last day and more enjoyable than the rest, perhaps because they knew that it was their last training day together. The work didn't seem so tedious anymore.

"So, guys…" Raimundo whispered to his fellow dragons in the middle of the night. He had to work extra hard to get Omi to wake up, because Omi seemed to still believe he was in the battle field and was thrashing wildly as Raimundo tried his hardest to get the little yellow-headed monk to stay still for at least a second. Finally, Clay dumped a bucket of water on Omi's head.

Omi felt a strange sensation all over him as he suddenly woke up. "Water?" he called out. Was he drowning? He had the most unpleasant feeling of a person who had just been dunked with water. "Ouch!"

"Sorry, Omi, but Rai wanted to talk to us all," Kimiko said, smiling.

After they all lit a single burning lantern, Raimundo tried to speak. An overwhelming sadness came over him and he suddenly couldn't talk anymore. Through the thick darkness, he could see a tear coming out of Kimiko's eye. Omi and Clay both looked miserable as well.

"All right…um… well, you know. It's just that I'll really, really miss the Xiaolin Temple and you guys." Raimundo stifled his sob. "We've stayed here for four years… and now…I mean…"

Raimundo broke off. His voice completely gave it away; he was crying. Big, sloppy tears came down his eyes like never before. He couldn't stop them, he couldn't stop the way he felt about leaving the temple and his friends. He sank down on the ground, ashamed.

"Oh, Rai…" Kimiko's face came up at Raimundo. She held his face gently up and attempted a brave smile. She, too, was crying hard. But she smiled as best as she could in this moment for Raimundo's sake. "It's gonna be okay. We can still write to each other and…who knows? Maybe I'll see you again sometime."

With that, Raimundo sobbed even harder. Kimiko was so wonderful… and he couldn't keep her. Keep the delicate face and the sapphire blue eyes, glittering in the moonlight, the rose-red lips and the shining black hair and fiery temper that was Kimiko. The part that most worried and frightened him was what Kimiko said. Maybe I'll see you again sometime. Those words made him sadder than ever. 'Maybe' wasn't a promise, it wasn't even a 'probably'. He hated that word. Maybe didn't mean anything at all, not now. Because what if he never did see her or Omi or Clay again? He didn't want to think it, but he knew that it was probably true. His sobs quieted, but inside he was fighting an even fiercer battle. I want to see you again. I can't leave you…

Kimiko hugged him and for the second she did, he felt extremely at ease, blushing a little. Raimundo smiled and thought, That's the best feeling in the world, being hugged by someone you love. Then he hugged her back. His control completely vanished and he wasn't even aware of what he was doing, what he was thinking, but he did it. He hugged her tighter and moved his face up to hers so that they lined, and gently but firmly kissed her. He could smell her face, which had the faintest scent of the trees in the temple. And then he felt Kimiko let go, and suddenly… he could feel warmth, and it felt as if they were the only people in the room. He smiled. She had accepted his kiss and kissed him back…

He suddenly remembered that Omi and Clay were still in the room. Slightly embarrassed but also feeling infinitely triumphant, he looked at Omi and Clay, who were shocked but also gave him a slight smile, as an indication of approval.

Raimundo returned the smile, and then all of a sudden it was like the arrival of a tornado. He was going away after what he had just accomplished, and he would miss them so much. He didn't cry; it was beyond that. After gaining happiness, it was all covered up by the fact that it was almost dawn. Almost time for his mother to pick him up at the temple. Ironically, the light of happiness had been covered by the light of dawn.

He pointed at the sky sadly to his friends.

"Durn cowboy dad's comin' early in the mornin'," Clay said with an air of dread. His eyes were very red but he pretended to act casual. "I'm 'fraid I might be the first one leavin' today."

"Well then," Kimiko said, also seeming to remember her sadness at leaving but concealing it, "Were just going to have to give Clay our big group hug. Everyone crowd in on Clay!"

"Yes indeed, my friend Clay, we will miss you when you leave!" Omi said, forgetting his sadness for a moment. He hugged Clay very tightly. Raimundo followed, and then Kimiko.

"I wish it weren't such a sad world all around," Raimundo whispered miserably. "Why did I have to leave?"

He absently wondered whether he would have erased all the times he had spent with his friends to not have this horrible pain. Did he want to erase four years of life if he could? He thought for a while, and then came to a conclusion. No, he thought, I really wouldn't. Because in erasing pain is erasing the greatest friendship I've ever known, and I don't want that. It kind of evens it out, the happiness and the sadness. Anyways, I could never want that to be gone. I want to remember, to keep all my friends in my mind no matter what happens. I will never forget. Never.

Omi, too, was looking extremely unhappy once again. He thought that it was lucky he would still have Master Fung to guide him, to help him… but his poor friends! What would happen to them without him? He was very worried about them and didn't want them to leave. He wanted them to be friends forever. He was faltering, falling down to the sinking earth.

Clay looked anxiously at the window to see if his dad was there yet. He ruffled his cowboy hat, unsmiling, and thought about his situation. If I could have just one more day with my friends…What I wouldn't give for that…He would miss Raimundo's cool-guy attitude, Kimiko's good aspects and bad aspects, and Omi's little round head and the constantly horrible slang and comebacks.

Kimiko sat near the window, not bothering to look out. She didn't cry anymore, but she felt a deep sadness that was threatening to overwhelm her. She had had so much fun during her time here, learned so much, and found great friendship. Even more, she realized that she had found out what true love was. She couldn't bear leaving Raimundo. She had known him for so long, and they had just been good friends, and now… she realized that her feelings for him weren't just that simple. Deep inside, she loved him. That was proven tonight. She loved his emerald green eyes and his Brazilian atmosphere. He seemed to be a tough guy, but inside he really cared.

Suddenly the bell outside the temple rang, cutting their deep thoughts about each other. Someone had come to the temple! Kimiko, Raimundo, Clay and Omi all gave each other very nervous glances and gulped hard. Quickly, they gave each other a last group hug, squeezing each other tightly. Omi thought he was going to choke, and tried to point this out, but he couldn't talk.

The door flew open, loudly and obviously. A burly man in a cowboy hat, a blue shirt and handkerchief, cowboy boots and a replaced 'Lone Star' walked in loudly. Clay, at the sight of him, looked as if he were about to faint.

"Had a good time here, m'boy?" the cowboy said grumpily.

"Y-Yes, Papa," Clay said in a quivering tone.

"Well, good, because you're comin' with me," Clay's father said, gesturing for Clay to come to him.

Clay stood up, exasperated. He carefully took off his handkerchief and slipped it to Kimiko, gave Raimundo his gloves, and handed Omi his oversized hat. "Can I leave these for my friends?" Clay asked.

"Oh, all right, you doggone boy," Clay's father said, sighing.

"Thanks, dad," Clay said, smiling. "Well, Omi, Raimundo and Kimiko, hope you like your presents. Bye."

Clay's smile broke as he walked out the door with his father. His head was hung down and he looked upset and troubled. The three other Xiaolin Dragons ran out the door to give him their good-byes.

"I'll wear you handkerchief everyday!" Kimiko called. "I'll never forget you and your cowboy talk. BYE!"

"Hey Clay, maybe sometime I'll go back to your cowboy ranch again, dude," Raimundo shouted, smiling. "Have a great time!"

"Clay, do not forget me! I'm the one who taught you to be so good, remember?" Omi said. "Good bye, my friend! Have a good time in Texas!"

Clay rode his dad's horse back to the airport, waving at them. They all waved at him until the horse rode out of sight into the mountain terrain.

The three Xiaolin dragons left felt very empty. Without Clay… Omi shook his head in misery. Clay had been one of his best friends he ever had…

"I hope I'm not next," Raimundo said with dread.

Master Fung walked out of the temple suddenly and smiled. "I've already said my good-bye to Clay, now I guess I must do so to you young monks."

Master Fung smiled and hugged them each briefly. "Forgive me, I am not as youthful as I used to be. I hope you have a good time at your true homes, and please don't forget any of your fellow monks, for there may be a time when you will need each other again. You can never truly forget your loved ones, young monks."

For once Raimundo didn't comment on Master Fung's use of sayings. He knew that what Master Fung said was true.

Kimiko gave a forced smile as she pointed upward. "It's my dad's airplane."

Suddenly she fell into Raimundo's arms, crying heavily. "I missed my dad so much before, and now…I think I'll miss you guys even more. Maybe someday, I'll come back here again. Maybe I'll see you all together and we can have fun like the old times. Maybe."

Raimundo hugged her tightly. "Don't worry. It's gonna be okay. You promised me that. I can do that favor back to you."

Kimiko wrapped her arms around Raimundo, giving him her last kiss. They held in that position for a minute or so, but to Raimundo it seemed like eternity. The entire time made Raimundo feel warm, loved. That amazing, wonderful feeling was shattered as Kimiko had to pull away. As Kimiko walked away with her father, waving desperately, she threw him one of her father's Kimiko robots. "So you will remember me," she said.

"Don't worry," Raimundo said, crying, "I always will."

He yelled things to her like "Bye!" and "Have a great time home!" while she was there, and Kimiko did likewise. After the plane was far out of sight, Raimundo awaited his mother's pick-up. "I guess I'll be the last one, huh?"

He saw a green car pull over on the dirt. "Mom," he whispered. He was glad to see her, but now he knew it was finally over. Their friendship as he knew it was gone. At least for a long time, until they saw each other again. They would never beat any evil villains together, never have training together, never sleep in the same room. Unless fate had a different twist from what he expected, he knew they would never see each other again. And that was what made him cry the hardest as his mother pulled him away, riding into the hills and valleys of China.

--

No, this is not a one-shot, as some of you might think. This was really long for my standards though. And yes, they will see each other again. Sorry I had to end the chapter off so sadly… (cries)


	2. Letters

I know you guys have been waiting a while for this, and here you go! (chucks story at people) No, just kidding. Chapter 2 of Amaranthine!

I wanted to call this story 'Amaranthine' because the word amaranthine means undying and unfading, which is exactly how love should be. It's based on the word amaranth, which is a flower that never dies. Love is like the amaranth in a way. It blooms inside of someone's heart and never dies. That's basically why I called it this. It's Rai/Kim, and I think that their love is strong enough to break all bonds and last forever.

I also decided to use 'Amaranthine' because I like throwing horribly hard words at you. (joking, joking)

Enjoy Chapter 2, 'Letters'.

--

Raimundo sighed sadly as he gazed out of the window in Brazil. All he really wanted was Kimiko and Clay and Omi to come back. There were plenty of teenagers his age in Brazil, but he never found an interest in any of them. Some were too academic, and others too much of the poser type. Raimundo stared back at his room, still miserable. He had been away from the Xiaolin temple for a week already, yet it didn't seem any different from the first day. None of the pain of leaving his friends had lifted. He remembered that he still had Kimiko's e-mail, telephone number and address, and also Clay's telephone number and address. He gave a faint smile at being able to talk to them again. He would be getting monthly visits from Dojo and Omi, however, as Omi had promised that night that they had left.

He reached for his phone and dialed the number to Clay first, as he was a little nervous in talking to Kimiko yet. It was better to talk to a guy first. "Hello?" he called instantly, even though he was sure nobody had picked up the phone yet. Finally, after about five rings, a woman with a cowboy accent that reminded him of Clay answered. "Hello?"

"Yeah, um, hi. Is Clay home right now?" Raimundo said nervously. For some reason, he wasn't very good on the phone because he was talking to someone he couldn't see. He usually liked it when he was talking to someone right in front of him. It was more in his comfort zone.

"Um, yes. Just wait a couple of second, 'kay? Clay, honey? There's someone who wants to talk to you," The woman said in a falsely sweet voice. Raimundo snorted.

"But, Mom! I'm just about to eat my chicken meal!" Clay's voice rang out loud and clear. Raimundo snickered quietly. That sounded just like the Clay he knew.

"Well, I think it's pretty important if one of your friends is calling you now, at dinnertime, don't you think?" Clay's mom argued. "Come here and pick up the phone, I don't want to disappoint whoever's calling ya."

"All right, all right." Raimundo could hear footsteps and then Clay's voice came through the phone all of a sudden. "Hello?" He asked loudly, sounding a little irritated.

"Hey, Clay! Dude, it's me, Rai here. So how's it goin'? Did I catch you at a bad time?" Raimundo gave Clay his 'innocent' act. He knew that Clay was having dinner at the current time.

"Uh, yeah, kinda, I'm havin' dinner, Rai," Clay said apprehensively. "Sorry 'bout that."

"No problem," Raimundo tried to hide his big grin. He was finally talking to at least one of his old friends! "So what's up, dude?"

"It's been okay for me, I guess. It really ain't much fun without you and Kim and Omi," Clay said sadly. "I wish we were back at the temple. I really do miss gettin' the Shen Gong Wu, but they're safe in Master Fung and Omi's hands. I miss all of you guys and I even miss training, even if it was boring."

"Man, I know just how you feel," Raimundo said in the same tone as Clay. "Why'd we have to leave?"

"Well, fella, I guess our parents did miss us while we were gone," Clay said, shaking his head. "But they don't understand what it feels like, bein' completely cut off from yer best friends."

"Yeah," Raimundo said. He sighed heavily into the phone. Then he tried to hide his sadness with a quick change in tone. "Well, I've been all right. There are some Brazilian guys around to talk to, I'm glad for that."

"You don't sound very glad," Clay said. "You sound kinda… I dunno, disappointed?"

"Yeah, I was lying. The people around are too… I'm just not used to them. I guess it's 'cause I haven't been in Brazil for so long, it almost seems foreign to me. Even though I've lived there for most of my life… I know it was four years we spent together, but it feels like it's only been a few days. The time we spent just passes by so fast… and I don't why, but I always try to remember everything about us. Every single Wu, every single event that happened. But… I think I'm starting to forget it. I don't want to forget, though," Raimundo said quietly, his breathing heavy. Emotions he hadn't thought about flew out of him as these words hit them like an anchor: the truth. He would, maybe, someday forget about his friends or grow out of them. Someday he might even find a different girl to be with. He thought of Kimiko and winced.

"Pardner, that's exactly how I feel," Clay said quietly. He sounded like he was anxious and worried. "I don't wanna forget, either."

Clay paused for a moment and Raimundo could hear the loud screams from his mother. "Cla-a-ay! Hurry and eat your chicken before it gets cold; you've been on that phone for who knows how long!"

"Sorry, fella, I gotta go," Clay said, sounding genuinely disappointed. "I'll call ya sometime, I guess."

"Sure thing," Raimundo said, giving a faint smile to nobody in particular. At least he could still talk to Clay, and that thought made his sad mood lift a little.

Raimundo decided to email Kimiko instead. Kimiko usually had that little miniature computer around to talk to her old friends, so Raimundo thought it might be easier for him to email her. He wasn't sure, but at that moment the mailman came around his house. He walked out to get the mail, as usual. He felt it quite comfortable to go outside; the summer skies were a faded light blue, reflecting the light he had seen so many times in Kimiko's eyes. He enjoyed the small breeze that passed by, neither too hot nor too cold. He felt as if he were that wind- wind was his element and it made him happy to feel the pleasant flow of the breeze again.

He looked through the envelopes and gazed in astonishment. A letter from Kimiko! He knew that he had to read it as soon as possible or he would die of suspense. He hurried into the living room, clutching the letter tightly in his excitement.

Raimundo plopped softly onto the sofa. He ripped the envelope as fast as he could; he had to see what Kimiko had written!

There was a piece of white paper, folded three times. He also found a new and improved Raimundo-bot from Kimiko's father's company. He smiled at it and put it aside, glad that Kimiko had gone to the trouble of bringing him a present.

He carefully unfolded the letter and read:

_Hi Rai,_

_It feels like a really long time since I last saw you, doesn't it? I just wish you were here with me… I'm having a good time right now. I get plenty of visits from Omi; he doesn't live so far away. It's been nice in Japan and I've gotten back with some of my old friends like Keiko. It was kind of disappointing, because I thought it would be great to see my girl friends again after so long, but they aren't as fun as you, Omi and Clay. Don't take me wrong though, I'm still having a good time in Japan. But not too good. Not without you and the other Xiaolin monks. You know, you're the only one I ever really liked. The Japanese guys all really let me down after knowing you, Rai._

_Anyways, I will never forget you or the other two monks. I know that maybe someday I won't like martial arts or my element of fire anymore, but I can't stop liking you or Omi or Clay. You guys are the best friends I ever had and I love you guys. I hope you're having a great time back in South America, but not too good. I can't let you have a great time without me, can I?_

_Anyways, I haven't been in contact with Clay yet. I forgot to ask him for his phone number because he left so early. But if you have his number, please tell me. I want to talk to Clay too, even if he's got the cowboy accent. I actually kind of miss that now, even though I was so annoyed at it at first. So please, please tell me if you know. It's too bad Omi doesn't have a phone or computer. After all, he does live in a temple. But I just feel bad because Dojo and Omi must not have a great time visiting me so often because as Dojo says, it takes around 2 hours to get to Japan. _

_I'm sorry if this letter was too long, Rai, but I just really wanted to tell you stuff. I miss you so much._

_Love, Kim_

Raimundo saw slightly damp wrinkly in the paper near the end, where he strongly suspected that Kimiko had been crying. He felt a little like crying, too. Before he had taken it for granted that Kimiko was there every day to see him, but now he had to get so worked up for only a letter. That was just how much he had missed Kimiko's presence. He put the letter on a shelf where he kept his most prized possessions, and stuck the Raimundo-bot there too. He smiled a little at his collection of toys and interesting objects, which also included the Kimiko-bot she had given him to help him remember her.

Raimundo took out a good piece of paper and thought about what he should write for a while. He could tell her that he missed her, obviously, and he could comfort her and tell her that it was all right. He smiled, wondering what Kimiko's reaction to his letter would be when she saw it. He knew that Kimiko had probably paid a lot of money for a fast mail express, because it had arrived in less than 5 days all the way from Japan.

Raimundo thought for a while, but he kept forgetting what he wanted to put down. In the end, he let his feelings pour out as he just wrote whatever his thoughts were directly on the paper. He felt proud when he was done and folded it in three creases, stuffing it into the envelope and sent her a box of candy.

--

Yup, that was it. It was a little shorter than the last one, I know, but I can't keep on making 2000-word chapters. I hoped you liked it and please review.


	3. Stuck at Home

This one is mainly on Kimiko after they left the temple.

I've decided that this story is gonna be really, really long, and I'm going to continue it as long as possible. Basically, it's kind of like there's no real plot yet, I'll just make it up as I go along since that seems like the way I've been doing it for this story. I hope you like that. And I know that their friendship isn't over, but that's just what Rai thinks.

So…I'll shut up and let you guys read Amaranthine Chapter 3, Stuck Home.

--

Kimiko sighed at the long day that had passed while staring out the window from the car. First she had endured many painstaking hours of going to a Japanese business place, which her father apologized to her for since it was so long. He had explained with a guilty expression on his face that he had to take her along since the businessman wanted to meet the rest of his family, so Kimiko had grudgingly come along for her father's sake. When she got there…well, she regretted the decision immediately and had to endure watching her father sign papers all morning and all afternoon. She was starving as well. She saw a big white and beige house… oh, that was her house. She yawned.

She practically slammed into her red-sheeted bed as she got home. "Why did I even think about going to that convention or meeting or whatever?"

She had been obsessively checking her mail during the past few days for any letter from Raimundo. It occurred to her that she hadn't checked yet today, and she hurried to the mailbox and opened it.

There was a package and some letters for her father. She wasn't interested in those, although she would give them to her father later. But… who was that package addressed to? She couldn't see very well as the dim light of the sunset faded more and more every minute. She ran into her house and turned on the light of the lamp, reading the messy black handwriting on the beige packet.

"To Kim from Rai," she read excitedly. "Yes! This is what I've been waiting for!"

She ripped open the package, although careful not to ruin any of its contents. There was something heavy she felt as she tore open the paper… a box. She jumbled it around and there was a noise like hard but not necessarily heavy objects scraping against the walls of the box. She figured she'd just have to read the letter to find out what was inside.

She excitedly opened the creased letter and read:

_Hi Kim,_

_I really missed you too. I sent you a box of candy in the package, that's why it was a package. I really don't know what you like, so I figured a box of candy would be good enough. :) Anyways, it's been okay in Brazil but totally, totally boring. There's nobody around here that really has the kind of sense you and Omi and Clay had, you know? So I'm not having fun and definitely not having too much fun._

_Hey, thanks so much for the awesome Rai-bot, and the Kim-bot too. They're awesome. And I could never forget you, ever. Oh, btw, in the candy box I have a picture of me that my mom took just a day ago. It's okay but I look kind of grumpy. Oh well, I know you wouldn't care about that. That's why you're such a great friend. The day after I left I was so sad because I thought our friendship was over and we would never see or talk to each other again, but I guess I realize that it's not true, what I thought. I can always send you pictures of me and I can always call you or mail you or email you. And Clay's phone number is 642-8813, since you want to know. Just don't call him while he's having dinner, I already learned that about calling Clay. I think Clay always has chicken dinner, I called him three times by now and every time he's had chicken dinner. Partly, I call when he's having dinner to annoy him, and also I wanted to know what he eats. But wow… Clay's a special person, obviously, but chicken dinner every night? That is just plain freak and weird._

_So what's up? Anything interesting happened yet? Not here in Brazil, so far nothing is really worthy of notice. Next time Omi comes, can you tell him I said hi? Thanks. So anyways, I still don't have any friends here yet. You basically can't make friends except from school, you know? And school hasn't started just yet. I haven't been to a regular school for four years, which is kind of a scary thought, but oh well. It's not like I ever wanted to, because I have to say that the Xiaolin Temple was probably like the best thing that ever happened to me. Who cares about normal school when you have elemental school where you learn cool fighting stuff?_

_And you were calling your letter long? This is like nearly the whole page. Ok, since it's getting way too long, I guess I'll just see you around sometime. If not, you can always call me or send me another letter. I'll be calling sometime soon. I know you're not going to receive this as soon as I send it, so I'm guessing it'll take around five or six days. Oh well, I'll call you around then. Maybe while you're having dinner so I can check what you're eating, too. Jk. :)_

_Love, Rai_

Kimiko read the letter ten times, savoring the words that Raimundo had written in his loose and sloppy handwriting. She smiled, kissing the paper as if she were trying to suck everything out of it. It contained Rai's touch, and that was what she wanted. It was so hard, the long-distance relationship. She had never realized that until now, but she knew that she and Rai could pull through no matter what happened.

Raimundo had matured a lot since that first year with Wuya and Mala Mala Jong. He had grown up to not go spotting pretty girls and attempting to flirt, and he had learned the hard way what it was like to be on the Heylin side. He had grown up so much in four years of time, Kimiko was beginning to wonder if she had even changed at all. She looked different and she was a lot taller than before, she didn't do her hair as much and she wasn't so fashionable anymore. But there wasn't really much difference in her personality, except that she now loved Rai to the bottom of her heart and she got angry less often now. But she knew that if this was enough to make Rai love her, she could grow to like herself the way she was now. She didn't need to change.

She looked at the letter again and began to cry, sobbing into the paper with big, sloppy tears. Raimundo cared about her so much and he had even bothered to get it delivered by fast mail, even though he wasn't a rich person like her. He had done so many sweet things for her, and she had never returned them. Would she get the chance, one day, to live up to Rai's kindness? She looked at the box of candy and smiled again. She opened it lightly and took out the picture of Raimundo. It was a little blurred and Raimundo's hair was a little messy, but to Kimiko it was the most beautiful thing in the world. She held onto it, hugging it, and smiled. She would always save this picture and never let it get wet or anything like that, because it was like a reminder to her of her one true love, and that was the most important thing in the world.

Her father walked over to her. "Sweetie, I'm sorry," he said, giving her a nice smile. Kimiko smiled back at her father. He had taken care of her for so long, and she was grateful for everything that he did for her.

"That's all right, Papa," she said, wiping the tears. But her father saw them and gave her a big hug. "What's wrong, Kimiko?"

"N-nothing," Kimiko said, mortified. She wondered what he would do if he found out.

"It's all right, sweetie. You can tell me anything," her father said, patting her on the back.

"Well… see, I really miss the Xiaolin temple and my friends, and my friend Rai wrote me a letter. I just miss him, that's all." Kimiko looked at her father to see his reaction. He was giving her an encouraging smile. "That's great that you care so much about your friends. Why don't you give him a nice surprise? I'll help you, Kim."

"Oh, Papa," Kimiko said, squeezing her father's waist tightly. "Thanks so much."

"That's no problem," Kimiko's father said, smiling. "I always want to tell you something. Keiko invited you to her birthday party for tomorrow. Do you want to go?"

"Oh, sure," Kimiko said lightly. "What should I give her?"

"I don't know her very well," her father said, walking over towards the kitchen. "But you do. I'm sure you'll think of something nice."

"All right," Kimiko said, wondering what she would bring for Keiko. Keiko had been one of her good friends before the Xiaolin training, but she hadn't kept in contact with her for a while… still, it was worth a try. Her father winked and gave her a bag with $15 inside and went to cook something for her. Kimiko smiled and walked to the closest store in Tokyo, a general store with plenty of items known as Kawaii Tokyo, meaning cute. It sold a lot of animal-shaped items.

She went in and felt the cool atmosphere, sighing and feeling good. It had been hot outside and she was glad that there was air-conditioning inside Kawaii Tokyo. After spending half an hour, she finally decided on a cute pair of fluffy bunny slippers and ran back home to wrap her gift.

After wrapping the gift, she put it in her room on a shelf near her bed so she wouldn't forget and went downstairs to eat dinner, which consisted of sushi and rice. After she was done, she went to take a short ten-minute shower and went to sleep exhausted. It felt good being back in her bed again, as the day was so tiring and boring except for Raimundo's letter, which she had placed carefully in a drawer in one of her many cabinets.

--

Ugh, that took a really long time. My eyes hurt. Please R&R.


	4. The Birthday Reunion

I know I haven't updated this in a long time. I haven't updated any of my stories at all recently, except today. But since this is the one I haven't updated for the longest, I have to do something about it, obviously. I'm a big sucker, I know. But I've been busy and gone on vacation in the last week, with schoolwork and other stuff. So I'm really sorry about that. I did warn you, didn't I? I used to have loads of free time in the summer and that's why I got to update so much. Now I have to do all this stuff for school. Grrr.

Now that you finally get to read the next chapter, I'd better get on with it, huh? Enjoy 'The Birthday Reunion', which continues with Keiko's birthday.

And yeah, Kimiko's dad gives her 15 dollars. It's just a birthday, so you don't really expect that much from it.

--

Kimiko was as nervous as it was possible to be nervous, because it had been so long since she had attended a birthday party that she didn't remember how to act at a birthday at all. Her palms were sweating profusely, and Kimiko felt disgusted at herself for sweating so heavily. She needed to take a shower, but unfortunately for her she was already on the way to Keiko's house, in her father's car. She hoped that she could trust herself to not act like a total idiot in front of everyone, and also resolved that she wouldn't mention anything about being a Xiaolin Warrior. It was embarrassing, frankly, and she wanted to still be friends with Keiko.

She gulped as her father stopped at a large house. It wasn't as big as hers, but it would be impressive to any other Japanese person who stopped by. She walked out, her hands shaking with anxiousness, and walked slowly. She waved to her father, who winked at her, and zoomed away in the bright blue car. Kimiko wiped off the sweat on the door, and rang the doorbell carefully. She was a little early, but she was sure Keiko wouldn't mind. After all, they had been best friends

Keiko came running out. "Kim!" She cried excitedly, giving Kimiko a big hug. Kimiko felt a little awkward, having someone she hadn't seen in four years hug her, but she was glad that Keiko still liked her. It was nice of Keiko to welcome her like that.

"I got you your present," Kimiko said.

"Oh, thanks!" Keiko took the present and set it on a chair.

"Hey, Keiko." Kimiko kept cool. "Sorry I'm a little bit early, but my dad had to do something off at work. He's practically always at work, really."

"Oh well. It's basically the same here. We're not as rich as your dad, but we do fairly well compared to regular people. Anyways, anything new happen to you?" Keiko asked her, looking interested.

"Well, like you know, I've been gone for the last four years to learn stuff about fighting." Kimiko thought of Raimundo almost as immediately as she did of the Xiaolin temple, and she blushed a little. Keiko noticed it, and she grabbed Kimiko's shoulder. "Oh. My. God. Kimiko, who _is _this guy?"

"What guy?" Kimiko asked, aware that she was blushing even harder.

"You like some guy from wherever you were. I just know it." Keiko tugged on her sleeve. "Kim, you've got to tell me. What's he like? Is he hot?"

"Okay, okay. I admit. His name's Raimundo Pedrosa, but I call him Rai. And yeah, he is hot. Hotter than any Japanese guy, anyways. Um…um… what's he like? Well, he has spiked up brown hair and these gorgeous green eyes… and he's really sweet but acts tough and cool…" Kimiko suddenly realized that she was gushing all over Rai. She gave Keiko an embarrassed look, but saw that Keiko was smiling happily.

"Kim, that's great! I mean, you finally get a guy, and he turns out to be major hot! I have to meet him sometime. But I'm not interested in him, because I've got my own boyfriend now," Keiko said, twirling her black hair absently.

Now it was Kimiko's turn to be surprised, but get over it and be happy for her friend. She spoke all out at once. "Seriously? Who is it? You've got to tell me! I told you about Rai!"

"Um. He's not a Japanese guy, like everyone else's boyfriends. He's actually an American exchange kid, but he told me he'd be staying since he likes it here a lot. His name is Jon Greenburg, and he's got blonde hair and blue eyes. Yeah." Keiko smiled warmly. "He's really nice, too."

"That's just great!" Kimiko said happily. "I'm happy for you. Really."

"Thanks," Keiko said. Her light brown eyes seemed to illuminate as she said it. "If you want to, I can take you to meet him after the party."

"Absolutely," Kimiko said, nodding. At that moment the doorbell rang loudly and clearly through their conversation, and Kimiko ran to answer it. There was a girl with long blonde hair and light blue eyes looking at her. Kimiko stared at her for a while. She definitely wasn't a Japanese girl.

"Hi. Where's Keiko?" She asked.

"Oh, Keiko's in the living room. Hi. I'm Kimiko, by the way. I'm one of her best friends around here. Follow me, I guess," Kimiko said, with a friendly tone.

"Thanks," the girl said. "My name's Sara."

With that, she followed Kimiko into the elaborate living room where Keiko sat waiting. Keiko smiled warmly at Sara. She gestured for Kimiko and Sara to sit down.

"So, Sara, what's up?" Keiko asked. Kimiko sat back and waited for Sara to respond. She was just going to watch, since she wasn't a part of this conversation.

"Oh, well, not much," Sara said. "Same old stuff. But I talked to Jon this morning, and you know what? He's going to get you a present, even though you didn't invite him. He said he didn't blame you for not asking him to come, since it's an all-girl party and he didn't want to be the only guy anyways. I thought that was pretty nice of him, don't you think? Even though he half annoys me to death."

Kimiko listened with interest. So Sara knew him, too? But if he was so wonderful, then why would Sara dislike him? Unless… Sara had said she ran into him that morning, hadn't she? So then…

"I don't get why you don't like him. Even if he is your brother, he's still so sweet," Keiko said dreamily. Kimiko gasped. So she was right! They definitely would look alike if she saw them together, she knew. After all, Keiko had described him with blonde hair and blue eyes. That was Sara, too.

Kimiko, Sara, and Keiko talked for a while until the doorbell rang again.

--

It was fifteen minutes later, and the party was a full house. Kimiko was having a lot of fun, and the food was great. Everyone looked like they were having a great time, as far as Kimiko could see, and she was glad.

They had a hard time deciding what to do for the next 3 hours that they were supposed to stay at Keiko's house. Keiko gave everyone a snack consisting of chips, fruit punch, cookies, and some fruit. Kimiko ate it quickly. She was hungry.

After that, they played some normal teenage girl games such as Truth or Dare. One girl, Margaret, who also came from America, came up with the best dares. They did outrageous things, like stuffing as much paper as possible in their mouths, or tickling people for ten minutes straight. It was fun, and lasted them for about an hour. When they were done, Keiko's mom announced that it was time to eat the cake. To Kimiko, it was extremely delicious, as was the ice cream that Keiko gave everyone afterwards. After that, several people got bored, and they decided to watch a movie. Keiko made sure it was long enough, but not too long so that by the time it was over people had to leave. When the movie was over, they had half an hour left. They just came up with whatever ideas they had, and everyone was in great spirits by the time they had to leave. Keiko waved good-bye to everyone, and soon she was left alone with Kimiko and Sara once again.

"Hey, Sara, can we go to your house?" Keiko asked. "I want to introduce Jon to Kim."

"Sure, I guess. But I'm sure she wouldn't like that idiot," Sara said dismissively. She glanced at Kimiko, who gave her a shrug. Sara went out the door, and Keiko and Kimiko followed after her. Keiko was smiling radiantly, and Kimiko was excited to see what Jon was like.

Sara, too, had a large house. But this time as she walked up to the front door, Kimiko wasn't nervous. She was glad that Keiko was still her friend. And maybe she'd make friends with Sara now, too.

An extremely handsome 17-year-old boy stepped out to greet them. He had tinkling, light blue eyes and an atmosphere of welcoming. Kimiko gaped at him. This boy was almost as hot as Raimundo.

Keiko ran into his arms. "Jon," she said with glee in her voice. "It's been days since I last saw you. But there's not a day I stop thinking about you."

"Me too," he said softly, his voice smooth. "Hey, who's your friend there?"

"That's my best friend, Kimiko Tohomiko. She's Japanese, too, and she's really cool. I'm sure you'd like her if you got to know her."

"Probably." Jon shrugged and examined Kimiko. Kimiko could feel her face burn as he looked at her with intensity. She couldn't bear it.

"Could you not look at me like that? It's making me feel like you're trying to inspect me for something," Kimiko blurted. She put her hands over her mouth, but it was too late.

She expected Jon to look disappointed, but instead he looked amused. "Right," he said. "I'm an inspector now, huh?"

"Sorry," Kimiko said. "But I just don't like being looked at too much. Except by my boyfriend Rai and my good friends Omi, Clay, and Keiko."

"Oh," Jon said. "Well, nice meeting you."

Jon ran up to his room and carried something down. It was a blue package, wrapped neatly and carefully. He handed it to Keiko. "Your birthday present," he explained.

Keiko squeezed it. "Can I open it now?"

"Sure," Jon said, smiling. Keiko opened the package carefully

--

Kimiko was home again. She had spent the whole day with her friend Keiko, her boyfriend, and Sara in the mall. It was fun but also exhausting.

She remembered the conversation Keiko had had with Jon the first time she had met Jon. Keiko had said that she was sad because she hadn't seen Jon in a few days, and that she missed him. This made Kimiko cry onto her pillow, sobbing quietly. It was horrible, the way fate had to go. Keiko could be sad that she hadn't seen Jon in a few days, but she didn't have to really be all that upset. But as for Kimiko… Kimiko hadn't seen Raimundo in weeks. And very possibly, she would never see him again. The terrible thing was that. Keiko could see her boyfriend daily and be happy, while Kimiko never saw Raimundo at all and still tried to force a smile on her lips. Kimiko cried at the thought of never seeing Raimundo again. She knew he would always be the only one for her. But could she really go through the rest of her life wanting something and never getting it? This realization was too horrible to comprehend. Kimiko cried even harder.

After a while, Kimiko felt better and went downstairs to get a glass of water. Then she wrote Raimundo a note, sealed it, and sent him a cake Keiko had given her after the party.

--

Wow. Really long. It took me an hour to finish, but I'm pretty proud of myself. I hope you guys like it. :)


	5. Omi's Lonely Time

Okay, back to Amaranthine. Yes, I am going on a cycle with the updates. Well, with the stories anyways. This time I do an Omi narrative. Never tried it before, but it might just turn out okay. Does anyone have any suggestions for the next chapter? Because I am clueless as far as writing about Omi goes. As clueless as Omi is when it comes to slang.

--

Omi sat on a bench, reading scrolls. For the past two weeks since his friends had all left him, that was all he did. What else was there to do anyways, without anyone to do something with? It was a lonely life, and now he wondered how he had ever survived before Kimiko, Raimundo and Clay came to the temple. He remembered an ancient saying, dating back to 1500 years ago: _To have something and lose it is often more painful than to have never had it at all._

Before, he had never bothered to comprehend it. After all, what did he have to lose at that time? He had always taken his friends' presences for granted, but now he felt the full sting of the event two weeks ago, where they had left him to go to their own homes. And he realized that the saying was right. He wished, miserably, that he had never met his three fellow dragons now, if it meant suffering so much. Yet also, Omi revoked that thought miserably. It was a confusing maze of thoughts, but that was the way he felt now. He wanted to have met his friends, because there was happiness and knowledge in those years they were together.

Omi threw his scroll into a drawer, getting angry. Then, after glaring at the table he was sitting at, he sighed heavily. "I believe I am still dumped in the downs," he said, shaking his big, bald head. He could almost hear Raimundo saying something about "It's not dumped in the downs, it's…" Omi couldn't remember. That was why he had such a hard time with slang terms. But at least it helped him remember Raimundo.

After a few minutes, Omi decided he needed to go outside. His yellow skin was starting to turn lighter, and he was sure that it was not a good thing. But it wasn't really his fault- he didn't have training anymore. Without training or Shen Gong Wu to find, it was pretty much useless to go outside. At least, he thought it was.

Finally, Omi stepped out after hesitating for a long period of time. He breathed the fresh air and smiled. It was heaven compared to the musty smell of the inside of the Xiaolin temple. It was so fresh, and there were so many beautiful things to look at out in the temple's lawn. It felt nice to be back here again.

"Help! Help!" Omi's senses went on alert as he heard the screaming of a girl. A girl? He had never heard a girl's voice in so long a time… Well, technically speaking, he had heard a girl's voice two weeks ago. But the time that passed by when his friends were not there seemed like eternity to him.

Omi ran towards the voice. It sounded desperate and pleading, and he knew that something bad would happen to whoever it was if he didn't hurry. "I am coming to help you!" Omi said, hoping to sound reassuring.

There was a clearing at a nearby part of the mountains that he had run into, and he ran as fast as he possible could. Suddenly, everything came to sight. A girl with brown hair and brown eyes was being held captive by a strangely blob-like organism.

"Hang out there, my friend!" Omi said courageously, not noticing that he had just messed up his slang again. The girl stared at him, a small light of gratitude shining in her beautiful brown eyes. _She is very short_, Omi noted, _almost as short as me._

He kicked the blob and took the girl in his outstretched arms, carrying her safely as he ran, faster and faster, past the mountains. He never stopped to look back, but if he did, he would have seen that the blob was transforming into a Jackbot.

When he finally reached the temple, he laid the girl down and wiped the sweat off of his yellow forehead. It had been quite tiring, running fast while carrying a girl.

The girl just stared at him for a while. Then she said, finally, "Who are you?"

"I am Omi, a Xiaolin Dragon at the Xiaolin Temple," Omi said proudly.

"A what and a what?" the girl asked, giving him a questioning look.

"Never think," Omi said.

"I think you mean 'never mind'," the girl said quizzically.

"Ah, yes," Omi said. This girl reminded him of Raimundo. "What is your name, girl with brown eyes and brown hair?"

"I'm Neza," she said, never taking her coffee-colored eyes off Omi's yellow face. "Thanks for saving me from that horrible monster."

"What does it want from a girl like you?" Omi asked. "Are there more that I have not yet seen, my good friend?"

"No," Neza said. "I don't understand why that blob creature would try to get me. I mean, I've never seen one in my entire life, and I certainly haven't angered anyone that could create anything like it. Although…"

"Yes?" Omi pressed.

"Well, maybe they wanted to steal my one powerful and magical item. It is a puzzle box handed down from generations dating back 1500 years, one that each ancestor before has warned the next generation to never open. I'm glad to say, though, that even through all the years, it has never been opened. I know of only two other puzzle boxes, and all three, when combined, hold an unstoppable evil power," Neza explained.

"A _puzzle box_?" Omi asked. "Are you sure you are telling me the truth?"

"Yes," Neza said. "Why do you ask?"

"Because if we are talking about the same thing, then…it started out in the time of Dashi. An evil witch from that time, Wuya, was trapped within a puzzle box. Through my scroll reading, I have read of two other puzzle boxes, but…I have never seen another one."

"Do you want to see it?" Neza asked. She grimaced at the slung-over bag she was carrying on her shoulder.

"All right," Omi said. "But I will be careful."

Neza slowly unzipped the bag and took out a rectangular box, marked with what looked like ancient Chinese characters. The box was ragged and old, and much of it was worn and dusty, but it still gave off an eerie glow that gave Omi goosebumps, yellow skin or not. It emanated something evil, Omi could tell, but he did not want to know what.

"You can put it back in the bag now," Omi said, feeling repulsed.

"Okay," Neza agreed. She stuffed it back in and slung the bag over her shoulders once again. "Anyways, I know you probably want some more information about me if you're going to actually let me in here. So… I'm from a place from England. London, to be exact. And I ended up in this place-which I think might be China, judging from the land- because I was kidnapped by one man in a red mask, and then other people kept kidnapping me as well, like I was some precious item to steal, going from one thief to another. It's really sad, what people think of these days. But now, thanks to you…I'm safe and okay," Neza said, leaning over and giving Omi a kiss on the cheek. Omi felt his cheek burn where the kiss had been, and he blushed deeply, leaving a red imprint on his yellowish face.

"That is no problem," Omi said. "I am _only _the best Xiaolin Dragon here." Neza laughed appreciatively at his attempts on modesty, nodding along. "Right."

--

Master Fung welcomed Neza and told her she could take a stall- the stall that Kimiko had always slept in. Omi felt a little sad at that, because it was almost like she was becoming a replacement for his friends, and he didn't want that. But he figured it was okay, because he could continue seeing Kimiko anyways.

Dojo snuffed at her short height at first, but said it was fine for her to stay when she gave him extra portions of her meal. Neza thought he was very amusing from her talk with him at dinner, to which Dojo started crying in her lap, saying, "It's been so long since anyone's ever appreciated a dragon like me…" Neza nodded along sympathetically.

After dinner, Omi went to his stall. He could already hear Neza's soft breathing as she was sleeping, and stared at the ceiling. It was nice, having another friend in the world, but it also mixed him up.

He had a sudden stroke of inspiration. Tomorrow was a free day, as was almost all the days now… why not bring Neza to visit Kimiko? It made him a lot happier than his mood earlier on.

Omi had good dreams that night.

--

Okay, I think I might get Omi to hook up with Neza, but I'm not totally sure…yet…

I know this was the most terribly short chapter ever, but I don't care. :P I can't think of much.


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